So here I was with Manuela at the Vancouver Alpen Club for their 80s Video Dance Party. I’ve always enjoyed 80s night as the music of this decade is so awesome, lively, energetic, and great to dance to. To have a contest open to anyone who looked like he or she just got back from this decade of big hair and neon spandex was the cherry on the parfait.
Although the Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, Culture Club and a handful of other great artists were absent from the mix, there were plenty of other tunes including some early 90s stuff to dance along to with music video playing on the giant screen.
I met a few familiar faces here that I hadn’t seen in several years; faces from when I was a regular with the German Meetup Group. It was nice to see them again, along with the new faces all having a great time on the dance floor.
A guy wearing a really flashy t-shirt caught my eye. His 3D cube design on the front of his t-shirt actually flashed to the beat of the music and so I just had to see it up close. It was manufactured by a company called Flashwear and attached to the inseams was a little battery box that controlled the sound sensitivity. It was so cool and I knew right there and then that I wanted one of my own.
Sadly, it looks like this party is a yearly thing. They really should have this kind of 80s night every week!
Nov 14, 2010
Spoiled Silly.
I sure spoiled myself silly today and loved every moment of it.
My morning started off with a good breakfast Ieda made for me. The omelet and tea was delicious and just what I needed to start the day: ENERGY! I was running late with my hypnotism session with Kemila so I darted towards the West End right after thanking Ieda for her hospitality.
What felt like an hour under the mystic spell of Kemila was actually twice as long in real time. I may have used the words mystic spell, but I assure you, this was no witchcraft. There are no casting spells, chants, or magic potions to drink beforehand. Hypnotism isn’t like what you see in the movies either where someone dangles a brass pocket watch like a pendulum and asks you to follow its movement using only your eyes. With Kemila, it was purely communication like you would with a friend or at a job interview, discussing things that I’ve been having issues with that I would like to see corrected or at the very least, guidance towards something workable. The problem I brought forth to share was about family dynamics.
I moved on to the couch after Kemila’s preliminary Q & A session and was asked to close my eyes and use my mind’s eye instead. As a very visual person, I painted pictures in my mind and described them out loud for her, falling into a trance easily, drifting in and out of consciousness and delving into the world of lucidity. I felt so relaxed with a blanket over me and cushions all around that when I came back to reality, I felt mentally cleansed.
From getting my mind cleansed, I went to the Miraj Hammam Spa on Granville to get my body cleansed as well. Using the gift certificate given to me on my birthday from Ieda, I’d booked a hammam and gommage session with a thirty minute massage. It was a wonderful experience breathing in the hot water molecules in the steamroom and then getting the rubdown encouraging exfoliation. Shedding away my old skin, I literally turned into someone new! The massage the followed with essential oils being rubbed on me was just as wonderful. Even the tea and biscuits served for me in the drawing room was delicious.
Not a moment too soon, I was out again exposed to the elements of Vancouver’s rain and walked across the Granville street bridge to get my hair cut for my last bit of transformation. The new me. I’m lovin’ it!
This evening ended with a company of friends at WINGS in Coquitlam, which was followed by more drinks and games with the XBOX KINECT at Java’s new abode.
What an awesome day! Must love myself more often. ;)
My morning started off with a good breakfast Ieda made for me. The omelet and tea was delicious and just what I needed to start the day: ENERGY! I was running late with my hypnotism session with Kemila so I darted towards the West End right after thanking Ieda for her hospitality.
What felt like an hour under the mystic spell of Kemila was actually twice as long in real time. I may have used the words mystic spell, but I assure you, this was no witchcraft. There are no casting spells, chants, or magic potions to drink beforehand. Hypnotism isn’t like what you see in the movies either where someone dangles a brass pocket watch like a pendulum and asks you to follow its movement using only your eyes. With Kemila, it was purely communication like you would with a friend or at a job interview, discussing things that I’ve been having issues with that I would like to see corrected or at the very least, guidance towards something workable. The problem I brought forth to share was about family dynamics.
I moved on to the couch after Kemila’s preliminary Q & A session and was asked to close my eyes and use my mind’s eye instead. As a very visual person, I painted pictures in my mind and described them out loud for her, falling into a trance easily, drifting in and out of consciousness and delving into the world of lucidity. I felt so relaxed with a blanket over me and cushions all around that when I came back to reality, I felt mentally cleansed.
From getting my mind cleansed, I went to the Miraj Hammam Spa on Granville to get my body cleansed as well. Using the gift certificate given to me on my birthday from Ieda, I’d booked a hammam and gommage session with a thirty minute massage. It was a wonderful experience breathing in the hot water molecules in the steamroom and then getting the rubdown encouraging exfoliation. Shedding away my old skin, I literally turned into someone new! The massage the followed with essential oils being rubbed on me was just as wonderful. Even the tea and biscuits served for me in the drawing room was delicious.
Not a moment too soon, I was out again exposed to the elements of Vancouver’s rain and walked across the Granville street bridge to get my hair cut for my last bit of transformation. The new me. I’m lovin’ it!
This evening ended with a company of friends at WINGS in Coquitlam, which was followed by more drinks and games with the XBOX KINECT at Java’s new abode.
What an awesome day! Must love myself more often. ;)
Nov 7, 2010
VAFF: One Big Hapa Family.
For closing night of the Vancouver Asian Film Festival, I went to see Jeff Chiba Stearns’ Ode to a Post-it Note, a short stop-animated film about a Post-it note learning about its creator, followed by his feature debut film titled One Big Hapa Family.
One Big Hapa Family was a documentary which looked into his mixed-race upbringing, and what is means to be a “halfsie” in Canadian culture and society. Having been raised by his European father and Japanese mother in Kelowna, BC, the film tried to explain why over 95 percent of the Japanese marry outside their own ethnic group, the largest ethnic group to do so.
It was very well done, and the Q & A interview with the audience and Jeff Chiba Stearns was captivating. When Stearns went to thank his immediate family and asked them to stand up, I realised that they were all sitting in the row right behind me.
After buying the DVD getting a photo taken, we all moved on to the OPUS hotel for the after-party.
So what’s a Hapa, you might ask? Check out Jeff’s film studio at www.meditatingbunny.com to find out!
One Big Hapa Family was a documentary which looked into his mixed-race upbringing, and what is means to be a “halfsie” in Canadian culture and society. Having been raised by his European father and Japanese mother in Kelowna, BC, the film tried to explain why over 95 percent of the Japanese marry outside their own ethnic group, the largest ethnic group to do so.
It was very well done, and the Q & A interview with the audience and Jeff Chiba Stearns was captivating. When Stearns went to thank his immediate family and asked them to stand up, I realised that they were all sitting in the row right behind me.
After buying the DVD getting a photo taken, we all moved on to the OPUS hotel for the after-party.
So what’s a Hapa, you might ask? Check out Jeff’s film studio at www.meditatingbunny.com to find out!
Oct 29, 2010
A Spooktacular Party.
I met Wesley a few weeks ago by way of Echo when we all got together for drinks in Yaletown. Wes and I clicked instantly when we both learned about our love for the Pet Shop Boys and of 80s music as a whole. When he told me that he went to see the PSB in concert last year at The Centre and an extra ticket to which he couldn’t find anyone to go with, my jaw dropped and eyes widened in disbelief and jealousy. I SO wanted to go as well but couldn’t find anyone else to go with. I waited too long to purchase a ticket for myself that when the time came, seats were all sold out.
Anyway, we met up a few days later at Yaletown Brewery for a big dinner gathering of friends when he invited me to come out to his Hallowe’en party he was throwing at his house. He called it the Pajama Jam Party where you had to come dressed in a Hallowe’en costume or in pajamas. I came dressed as a bedside table with a lamp shade on my head, complete with a chain link light switch hanging down from my forehead. In other word, I was “The One Night Stand”.
The party was lively with a DJ mixing tunes to keep the energy flowing on the dance floor. Strobe lights were installed and very big speakers were mounted at several corners for big sound. He even had a video projector projecting videos on the wall and ran an open bar in the kitchen. At one point throughout the night, there must have been around forty people dressed in pj’s and costumes mingling with other vampires and jack-the-rippers. Then there was “Slutty Alice”, just like Alice from Alice in Wonderland, only sluttier. And those were her words. I joked about her falling down the wrong hole which cracked all of us up.
I made myself a White Russian at the kitchen bar to let loose and loose my inhibitions and then moved on to the dance floor for a series of free-flowing moves that just came to me with the music. I was doing this in my One Night Stand costume for a while until I got really hot inside and took it off. I wasn’t looking for attention, but people started noticing and girls kept coming up to be complimenting me on my sultry moves. I was even more lively whenever I heard the Pet Shop Boys!
The fact that I was there well past four in the morning is testament to how much I’d enjoyed the party. Wow Wesley. You sure know how to put on a house party!
Anyway, we met up a few days later at Yaletown Brewery for a big dinner gathering of friends when he invited me to come out to his Hallowe’en party he was throwing at his house. He called it the Pajama Jam Party where you had to come dressed in a Hallowe’en costume or in pajamas. I came dressed as a bedside table with a lamp shade on my head, complete with a chain link light switch hanging down from my forehead. In other word, I was “The One Night Stand”.
The party was lively with a DJ mixing tunes to keep the energy flowing on the dance floor. Strobe lights were installed and very big speakers were mounted at several corners for big sound. He even had a video projector projecting videos on the wall and ran an open bar in the kitchen. At one point throughout the night, there must have been around forty people dressed in pj’s and costumes mingling with other vampires and jack-the-rippers. Then there was “Slutty Alice”, just like Alice from Alice in Wonderland, only sluttier. And those were her words. I joked about her falling down the wrong hole which cracked all of us up.
I made myself a White Russian at the kitchen bar to let loose and loose my inhibitions and then moved on to the dance floor for a series of free-flowing moves that just came to me with the music. I was doing this in my One Night Stand costume for a while until I got really hot inside and took it off. I wasn’t looking for attention, but people started noticing and girls kept coming up to be complimenting me on my sultry moves. I was even more lively whenever I heard the Pet Shop Boys!
The fact that I was there well past four in the morning is testament to how much I’d enjoyed the party. Wow Wesley. You sure know how to put on a house party!
Oct 20, 2010
Vision Vancouver Pub Night.
Apart from the surrounding natural environment this beautiful city of Vancouver is well known for, there are many other facets that make this city incomparable to any other on Earth. From the formation of the Lower Mainland Regional Planning Board in 1949 to the subsequent creation of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), the pioneer planners of Vancouver laid down the foundation to pave the way towards a livable region we Vancouverites are blessed with living in today. City planners from around the world come to Vancouver in flocks to see how it all comes together here: mixed-use development of residential and commercial properties, central nodes and arterials creating unique communities, and a functional mass transit system as an alternative to the automobile. Unlike most other metropolitan cities in North America, we have no freeways cutting into or through the downtown core like a knife through the heart of the city.
Transportation was the theme when Vancouver hosted Expo ‘86, which gave birth to the world’s longest automated light metro system we call, SkyTrain, manufactured by Canadian-made Bombardier Inc. Together with a growing network of bike lanes, Vancouver has earned the distinction of, among others, one of the world’s most livable cities and being the greenest city in North America. This livable and sustainable model is what people around the world is calling Vancouverism.
If this city isn’t paradise, it’s the closest thing there is to it.
But we’re not done, nor are we resting on our laurels.
In support of Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision Vancouver team, I went to the Vision Vancouver Pub Night which was held at The Charles, a new venue at the Woodwards building development. In addition to making the Burrard bridge bike lane permanent, literally clearing the way for a separated bike lane along Dunsmuir, and most recently along Hornby street, Robertson, an avid cyclist himself, is leading by action and creating a city I’m proud to call home to. I wore my “BIKE LANES MAKE ME HORNBY” t-shirt with PRIDE.
Transportation was the theme when Vancouver hosted Expo ‘86, which gave birth to the world’s longest automated light metro system we call, SkyTrain, manufactured by Canadian-made Bombardier Inc. Together with a growing network of bike lanes, Vancouver has earned the distinction of, among others, one of the world’s most livable cities and being the greenest city in North America. This livable and sustainable model is what people around the world is calling Vancouverism.
If this city isn’t paradise, it’s the closest thing there is to it.
But we’re not done, nor are we resting on our laurels.
In support of Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson and his Vision Vancouver team, I went to the Vision Vancouver Pub Night which was held at The Charles, a new venue at the Woodwards building development. In addition to making the Burrard bridge bike lane permanent, literally clearing the way for a separated bike lane along Dunsmuir, and most recently along Hornby street, Robertson, an avid cyclist himself, is leading by action and creating a city I’m proud to call home to. I wore my “BIKE LANES MAKE ME HORNBY” t-shirt with PRIDE.
Oct 12, 2010
CBC Massey Lecture with Douglas Coupland.
Just one week after meeting Douglas Coupland at CBC studios, here we were again, this time at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts at UBC for this year’s CBC Massey Lecture where Coupland takes to the stage.
Player One: What Is to Become of Us is divided into five hours (chapters/sections) and the Massey Lecture will be touring across Canada in five cities, with the last chapter reading in Toronto. Chapter One, appropriately, was read in its entirety here at the Chan Centre in Vancouver.
A broadcast of this series can be heard on Ideas with Paul Kennedy from November 8 - 12, and as a podcast thereafter.
Ieda finally got her copy of Player One here and queued in line for her own signed book. It was a delightful evening.
Player One: What Is to Become of Us is divided into five hours (chapters/sections) and the Massey Lecture will be touring across Canada in five cities, with the last chapter reading in Toronto. Chapter One, appropriately, was read in its entirety here at the Chan Centre in Vancouver.
A broadcast of this series can be heard on Ideas with Paul Kennedy from November 8 - 12, and as a podcast thereafter.
Ieda finally got her copy of Player One here and queued in line for her own signed book. It was a delightful evening.
Oct 5, 2010
CBC Radio One Book Club with Douglas Coupland.
A few weeks ago, I’d stumbled upon the CBC evening news crew doing a live broadcast from Central City Square, right across from work. Everyone from Gloria Makarenko, Tony Parsons, Claire Martin and Shane Foxman to the A/V technical team was there. The CBC was doing a travelling roadshow bringing the newsroom from 700 Hamilton to different communities in the lower mainland. Surrey’s mayor, Dianne Watts came out to do an interview and the SFU band played a few notes in the background during takes.
In my conversation with a crew at the CBC tent, I dropped Douglas Coupland’s name, out of which I had learned that he was coming to the CBC Radio One Book Club next month. I was pleasantly elated.
I went online to www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub and found out that the only way to attend this reading and live recording was to write, in 200 words or less, why I wanted to go. My first draft surpassed the 200 word limit two-fold. Here’s what I sent after my revision in exactly 200 words:
I just want to be in the same room with Douglas Coupland.
I missed out on an intimate evening with Mr. Coupland last year at Writers Fest where he discussed his new book, Generation A. It wasn't long before that I began reading his books, starting with JPod, a book I couldn't put down. I then got my hands on Generation X, Girlfriend in a Coma, Microserfs, and The Gum Thief. Currently, I'm reading Life After God.
Douglas Coupland plays a vital role in the fabric of this great nation, just like the CBC to which I am also an avid viewer and listener to. It was when I was conversing with a CBC crew member that I learned about Coupland at the Studio One Book Club.
To be in a room of literary fans and be able to experience the same level of energy shown when Jian Ghomeshi came to do a taping of ‘Q’ last year would be a delight.
According to Doug's Law, "Most of us have only a dozen or so genuinely interesting moments in our lives; the rest is filler." Meeting Coupland will certainly be an interesting moment in my life. I hope I win.
And I did win. Two tickets, actually; one for me and a guest. And naturally, I brought Ieda with me.
This studio recording of North by Northwest hosted by Sheryl MacKay interviewed Canada’s celebrated author, Douglas Coupland, on his new book of fiction titled Player One: What Is to Become of Us, a book he’d written specifically for the CBC Massey Lecture. Coupland read excerpts from Player One and answered many interesting questions from the hosts and audience, drawing upon personal experiences while answering them. And because he grew up in Vancouver and still calls Vancouver home, there’s a more personal level to his engagement with the audience and readers of his books who also reside or grew up in Vancouver.
I bought my copy of Player One here and had him sign it. While sitting down with him for a brief one-on-one interview with questions of my own, he also wrote down a short recommended reading list he thought I might enjoy by other authors.
I love books.
In my conversation with a crew at the CBC tent, I dropped Douglas Coupland’s name, out of which I had learned that he was coming to the CBC Radio One Book Club next month. I was pleasantly elated.
I went online to www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub and found out that the only way to attend this reading and live recording was to write, in 200 words or less, why I wanted to go. My first draft surpassed the 200 word limit two-fold. Here’s what I sent after my revision in exactly 200 words:
I just want to be in the same room with Douglas Coupland.
I missed out on an intimate evening with Mr. Coupland last year at Writers Fest where he discussed his new book, Generation A. It wasn't long before that I began reading his books, starting with JPod, a book I couldn't put down. I then got my hands on Generation X, Girlfriend in a Coma, Microserfs, and The Gum Thief. Currently, I'm reading Life After God.
Douglas Coupland plays a vital role in the fabric of this great nation, just like the CBC to which I am also an avid viewer and listener to. It was when I was conversing with a CBC crew member that I learned about Coupland at the Studio One Book Club.
To be in a room of literary fans and be able to experience the same level of energy shown when Jian Ghomeshi came to do a taping of ‘Q’ last year would be a delight.
According to Doug's Law, "Most of us have only a dozen or so genuinely interesting moments in our lives; the rest is filler." Meeting Coupland will certainly be an interesting moment in my life. I hope I win.
And I did win. Two tickets, actually; one for me and a guest. And naturally, I brought Ieda with me.
This studio recording of North by Northwest hosted by Sheryl MacKay interviewed Canada’s celebrated author, Douglas Coupland, on his new book of fiction titled Player One: What Is to Become of Us, a book he’d written specifically for the CBC Massey Lecture. Coupland read excerpts from Player One and answered many interesting questions from the hosts and audience, drawing upon personal experiences while answering them. And because he grew up in Vancouver and still calls Vancouver home, there’s a more personal level to his engagement with the audience and readers of his books who also reside or grew up in Vancouver.
I bought my copy of Player One here and had him sign it. While sitting down with him for a brief one-on-one interview with questions of my own, he also wrote down a short recommended reading list he thought I might enjoy by other authors.
I love books.
Oct 3, 2010
Goupon Day.
I’ve been told by many friends that I’m Groupon crazy. Perhaps they’re right. Looking at my collection of unused Groupons I’d purchased this year so far, it would seem that I’m buying more Groupons at a rate far in excess of the rate I’m redeeming them!
So I did something about it. Recognising that I do have a mild addiction (acknowledging this fact is step one to recovery), I forbade myself to purchase any more Groupons until I’ve used up the ones I have that are expiring soon. And what better way to do that than to devote an entire day going out with friends doing only the things I have Groupons for!
Timela, Tracy, Ieda and I got together for a hearty brunch at Deacon’s Corner and to kickstart our Groupon day, we went to the Vancouver Police Museum where I had five Groupons to redeem. It was sure to be An Arresting Experience™. And it actually was! I didn’t even know about this museum until Groupon featured it earlier this year. I learned a little about forensics, the history of the Vancouver Police, read about the many police dogs who died in the line of duty, the flags and uniforms over the years, unsolved murder mysteries and case files, and had a tour of the old morgue; a wall of stainless steel filing cabinets for bodies, one of which had the name “Obi Wan Kenobi”. Then there was the collection of hand guns seized by the police, and the autopsy table with real specimens of organic matter in glass jars. It was morbidly awesome.
After meeting up with a craigslister for the City of Glass book by Douglas Coupland, we were off to Mr. Pickwicks for some fish and chips and popcorn chicken down at the Marpole location. We had plenty to eat out on the patio table after redeeming my four Groupons.
In the evening, we were off to the H. R. MacMillan Space Centre to learn about astronomy and recognise some of the constellations in the night sky. I have a personal connection to this place. It’s been many years since I was here last, and to relive my childhood memories of coming here on a school field-trip was a trip down memory lane. Inside the Planetarium Star Theatre, Harrold, the projector in the middle of the dome, displayed a 360º celestial view of the night sky as seen above several metropolitan cities around the world including London and what we may see when we look up under different seasons. It was like being on the Holodeck. Hahaha!
Night had fallen upon us when we left the domed theatre to walk out to the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory for an actual look at the stars above us now through the high-powered telescope controlled by a computer. Entering coordinates or cropping to the area we wanted to focus on on the 2D map on screen caused the whole roof of the observatory to move with the giant telescope to point toward the area in focus. This really excited the child within me all over again.
While I’d managed to use up a lot of Groupons today, I have many more Groupons to use. I can’t wait to organise another Groupon Day! Thanks Groupon, and thanks Tim for driving us around!
So I did something about it. Recognising that I do have a mild addiction (acknowledging this fact is step one to recovery), I forbade myself to purchase any more Groupons until I’ve used up the ones I have that are expiring soon. And what better way to do that than to devote an entire day going out with friends doing only the things I have Groupons for!
Timela, Tracy, Ieda and I got together for a hearty brunch at Deacon’s Corner and to kickstart our Groupon day, we went to the Vancouver Police Museum where I had five Groupons to redeem. It was sure to be An Arresting Experience™. And it actually was! I didn’t even know about this museum until Groupon featured it earlier this year. I learned a little about forensics, the history of the Vancouver Police, read about the many police dogs who died in the line of duty, the flags and uniforms over the years, unsolved murder mysteries and case files, and had a tour of the old morgue; a wall of stainless steel filing cabinets for bodies, one of which had the name “Obi Wan Kenobi”. Then there was the collection of hand guns seized by the police, and the autopsy table with real specimens of organic matter in glass jars. It was morbidly awesome.
After meeting up with a craigslister for the City of Glass book by Douglas Coupland, we were off to Mr. Pickwicks for some fish and chips and popcorn chicken down at the Marpole location. We had plenty to eat out on the patio table after redeeming my four Groupons.
In the evening, we were off to the H. R. MacMillan Space Centre to learn about astronomy and recognise some of the constellations in the night sky. I have a personal connection to this place. It’s been many years since I was here last, and to relive my childhood memories of coming here on a school field-trip was a trip down memory lane. Inside the Planetarium Star Theatre, Harrold, the projector in the middle of the dome, displayed a 360º celestial view of the night sky as seen above several metropolitan cities around the world including London and what we may see when we look up under different seasons. It was like being on the Holodeck. Hahaha!
Night had fallen upon us when we left the domed theatre to walk out to the Gordon MacMillan Southam Observatory for an actual look at the stars above us now through the high-powered telescope controlled by a computer. Entering coordinates or cropping to the area we wanted to focus on on the 2D map on screen caused the whole roof of the observatory to move with the giant telescope to point toward the area in focus. This really excited the child within me all over again.
While I’d managed to use up a lot of Groupons today, I have many more Groupons to use. I can’t wait to organise another Groupon Day! Thanks Groupon, and thanks Tim for driving us around!
Sep 18, 2010
Three Weddings... and a Funeral?
I came back from the wedding in South Korea only to attend yet another wedding on the 12th; this time at the Arbutus Club in Vancouver. And this banquet party was huge in comparison. There must have been over a hundred and fifty people in attendance; family and friends all together to celebrate the union of Imelda and Sameer. Su was the maid of honour and was sitting nice and pretty at the head of the table with the newly weds. Su
They’d hired a team of photographers who took pictures and HD videos with Canon cameras. There was a guy editing videos on a MacBook Pro on the fly as well. The high quality video of the actual wedding ceremony in the morning was made into a well edited, full featured film for the banquet in the evening. Amazing...
After chowing down on a buffet of delicious morsels, followed by drinks at the open bar, it was dance time on the dance floor! The evening wrapped up with more drinks and a colourful piñata being beaten to death. Little children gathered around the bride and groom, who each took turns beating the shit out of it, blindfolded, waiting to pounce on it’s innards. However, it just wouldn’t die. Someone commented that the piñata should be made in China next time.
After several more blows to this docile creature did it finally spill out what the young children were waiting for... candies. Except that there were more than just candies: candy fruit favoured condoms as well. The kids were going nuts, but so were their parents, I’m sure. It’s all fun.
The third and final wedding was on the 18th for Jay and Morgan, affectionately hereby now known as Jaygan. This was held at Milner Gardens at beautiful Qualicum Beach on the island. As Jay was Norm’s best man when Norm and Lucy got married last year (also in September), it was only appropriate that Norm be Jay’s best man. It was supposed to rain this weekend but the sun came out instead, casting its ray of light on us all. Echo, Ieda and I stayed at the newly built Beach Club Resort with a balcony overlooking the boardwalk along the beach. Couples young and old walked hand in hand while dogs ran after their master on the beach at low-tide. At the end of the boardwalk was a small gazebo where another small wedding was being conducted.
In the evening, Tim and Kemila, Echo, Ieda and I decided to crash someone else’s wedding party by gyrating on the dance floor. Although we had kept to ourselves and was clearly having fun, we were asked to leave by a hotel staff informing us that this was a private party and not a public club. No one else seemed to mind, but whatever... we acquiesced.
Three weddings in as many weeks. Whew! Now that it’s all done and over with, I think it’s time for a funeral. Here’s hoping that it wouldn’t be mine.
They’d hired a team of photographers who took pictures and HD videos with Canon cameras. There was a guy editing videos on a MacBook Pro on the fly as well. The high quality video of the actual wedding ceremony in the morning was made into a well edited, full featured film for the banquet in the evening. Amazing...
After chowing down on a buffet of delicious morsels, followed by drinks at the open bar, it was dance time on the dance floor! The evening wrapped up with more drinks and a colourful piñata being beaten to death. Little children gathered around the bride and groom, who each took turns beating the shit out of it, blindfolded, waiting to pounce on it’s innards. However, it just wouldn’t die. Someone commented that the piñata should be made in China next time.
After several more blows to this docile creature did it finally spill out what the young children were waiting for... candies. Except that there were more than just candies: candy fruit favoured condoms as well. The kids were going nuts, but so were their parents, I’m sure. It’s all fun.
The third and final wedding was on the 18th for Jay and Morgan, affectionately hereby now known as Jaygan. This was held at Milner Gardens at beautiful Qualicum Beach on the island. As Jay was Norm’s best man when Norm and Lucy got married last year (also in September), it was only appropriate that Norm be Jay’s best man. It was supposed to rain this weekend but the sun came out instead, casting its ray of light on us all. Echo, Ieda and I stayed at the newly built Beach Club Resort with a balcony overlooking the boardwalk along the beach. Couples young and old walked hand in hand while dogs ran after their master on the beach at low-tide. At the end of the boardwalk was a small gazebo where another small wedding was being conducted.
In the evening, Tim and Kemila, Echo, Ieda and I decided to crash someone else’s wedding party by gyrating on the dance floor. Although we had kept to ourselves and was clearly having fun, we were asked to leave by a hotel staff informing us that this was a private party and not a public club. No one else seemed to mind, but whatever... we acquiesced.
Three weddings in as many weeks. Whew! Now that it’s all done and over with, I think it’s time for a funeral. Here’s hoping that it wouldn’t be mine.
Sep 10, 2010
Seoul Searching.
Yes, I know, I know. I just couldn’t leave that pun alone!
So here I was off to South Korea to participate in my brother’s wedding not knowing if they’d be someone to greet me when I arrive at Incheon International (ICN). In any normal situation, one would think that the basis such as exchanging names and contact numbers of people, information about flight arrivals and departures, and where and when to meet would have been covered. Not so when you leave it in the hands of Stanley. Even mom and dad, who took off on the first of September, the day before I did, didn’t know what to expect the moment they wheeled their luggage through the arrivals gate.
Emails to Stanley for information went unanswered. The best we could do was to send him information about flight numbers and arrival times along with a subsequent update on their six-hour delay due to hurricane Earl back east, and hope that if would get to him in time. It was under this uncertainty in which my folks flew out of Vancouver International (YVR).
Because I had procrastinated when it came to booking my flights until the last minute, economy class was all filled up I had no choice but to fly Executive Class on JAL (boohoo). And even still, I had to catch a connecting flight at Narita International (NRT).
As requested and granted, I had no one beside me on the first leg of the trip and comfortably sat by the window in my fully automated clam shell seat that transformed into a bed with a push of a button. My in-flight movie was Letters to Juliet a sappy spineless film which followed a well used Hollywood formula and concluded with a predictable ending. My bad. My inflight meal, however, was delicious! Foie gras and port wine jelly for hors d’Oeuvre and a fillet of beef steak with port wine sauce accompanied with ratatouille and fresh salad. With my meal, I had a selection of champagne, whites and reds to choose from. I went for the Louis Jardot Bourgogne Rouge Couvent des Jacobins 2008. For snacks, they served traditional Japanese osembe (rice crackers) and JAL’s original Sky Time Yuzu drink. “Airline food” have most certainly come a long way.
Arriving at NRT, I went straight for the internet cafe hoping to get information from Stanley. That was a negative. I spent the rest of my two-hour layover reading Douglas Coupland’s The Gum Thief in the airport lounge.
Arriving at ICN, disturbingly hot and humid at 29ºC, I was glad to see familiar faces. Stanley and his wife to be, Hyejung, escorted me out of the airport to the car waiting out front with her father at the wheel. We drove over to the Koryo hotel in Bucheon where I was reunited with my parents once again. Not a moment too soon, they’d asked me about my flight over which I gladly went into detail about until I was abruptly told to stop the moment I said the word champagne. It turned out that their economy flight on Air Canada served cup noodles for dinner and water for drinks. They had to ask for tea.
The wedding, which was on the fourth of September, was nice and simple. It was my first time seeing my brother in a tux. News of the wedding itself came by surprise. It was a western styled wedding with a Korean twist. It took place in Korea where Korean food was served and consumed by friends and family of the bride and groom who were mostly all Koreans. Though they didn’t speak much English, my new extended family were very nice and hospitable. Mom looked really good in her kimono.
The next day, we went to visit the Korean Folk Village. The weather turned on us while we were in the van and we’d witnessed our first tropical thunder shower with water droplets as big as marbles got us drenched from head to toe in a few seconds. It didn’t stop us from venturing outside, however. I was even bold enough to take my DSLR out, though in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have.
It was mom’s birthday on the sixth and we helped her eat her cake at our hotel suite.
After seeing my folks off at the bus station for their journey back home, I checked out of my hotel and made my way to visit a friend of mine, his wife, and their nineteen-month old son on the other side of Seoul. They were kind enough to host me for the next three nights while I explored Seoul on my own.
An art district called Heyri located about ninety minutes north-west of Seoul caught my interest while I was looking at places to visit. It turned out to be a wonderful place with art studios, galleries, cafes and residences all housed in very unique pre-fab structures. It was architecturally amusing and I’d spent about five hours there just walking in and out of structures and discovering new things. This whole area was a quiet place, not frequented by a lot of people. It’s nothing to complain about, as I came here to get away from the tourists, but is gave it a slightly eerie feeling. I walked through many galleries there, fully lit and air conditioned with music playing, but there was no one in sight. It was a delight.
That evening, I met up with Jiyun, another friend of mine I hadn’t seen since leaving Beijing. We got together for dinner at Hongik University and briefed each other on our lives. She’s as beautiful, cheerful, and fun as I remember her to be and her laughs and smiles are so affectionate, it’s genuine. What great friends I have!
The next day, I ventured back into the city and explored the Deoksugung Palace and the Gyeoghuigung Palace. It was a place steeped in history and the architecture was very similar to that of ancient China’s Forbidden City with structural columns and beams in crimson red and rooflines ornately decorated with splashes of yellow, green, blue and orange and motifs of clouds and floral patterns. While strolling the grounds of ancient Korea, a view of new world Seoul came emerged from behind. The building beside the glass tower was under construction and had a blue G20 Seoul Summit banner covering the entire façade. The juxtaposition of Seoul’s glass towers from the pottery roof shingles of the palace was poetic.
At the Seoul Museum of Art, an exhibit titled Media City Seoul 2010 was on display. What caught my eye was that this exhibit was supported in part by the British Columbia Arts Council. Entrance was free and I was even given a device that gave audio tours. I was instantly captivated by artist Sara Morris’ Beijing; a video montage of the sights and sounds of Beijing. I sat there on the floor for well over an hour waiting for the end of the video which I never got to. There was another video installation by Rainer Ganahl titled I Hate Karl Marx, of a German woman yelling and ranting at a statue of Karl Marx in a park... in fluent mandarin. The video and still images from this video can be found on the artist’s website here: www.ganahl.info/Ihatekarlmarx.html
Visiting Seoul was a nice experience, even when I was caught in a torrential downpour twice. I can now add another country to the list of countries I’ve travelled.
Things that I noticed in Korea:
- Little rectangular block of foam padding on car doors. Almost every vehicle had them! Is this to avoid door dings and dents?
- Barcode labels on car windows. Is this a remnant of new vehicle identification as seen on dealers lots? Koreans seem to like to keep it on regardless of how old the vehicle is.
- Old vehicles in Seoul are few. Most on the roads were produced within the last five years, dominated by Kia and Hyundai badges.
- A section of highway along the Han River were scored so that the tune Marry Had A Little Lamb could be heard while the tyres drove over them. How novel!
- SPAM is considered as gourmet food. Of course it is; it’s IMPORTED! They come in fancy packaging, typically as a box set of eight cans, and is traditionally given as a gift. The power of marketing.
- The kimchi fridge. A top loading fridge (like a deep freezer) specifically for storing kimchi. Only in Korea.
- Fashionable young Koreans. Between China, Korea, and Japan, Koreans display a good sense of style. Good looks to boot.
- When approaching an interchange station on Seoul’s metropolitan subway, a 10-second clip of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor is played before announcing the name of the next station. With 13 lines criss-crossing each other, this tune quickly became an ear-worm tune.
So here I was off to South Korea to participate in my brother’s wedding not knowing if they’d be someone to greet me when I arrive at Incheon International (ICN). In any normal situation, one would think that the basis such as exchanging names and contact numbers of people, information about flight arrivals and departures, and where and when to meet would have been covered. Not so when you leave it in the hands of Stanley. Even mom and dad, who took off on the first of September, the day before I did, didn’t know what to expect the moment they wheeled their luggage through the arrivals gate.
Emails to Stanley for information went unanswered. The best we could do was to send him information about flight numbers and arrival times along with a subsequent update on their six-hour delay due to hurricane Earl back east, and hope that if would get to him in time. It was under this uncertainty in which my folks flew out of Vancouver International (YVR).
Because I had procrastinated when it came to booking my flights until the last minute, economy class was all filled up I had no choice but to fly Executive Class on JAL (boohoo). And even still, I had to catch a connecting flight at Narita International (NRT).
As requested and granted, I had no one beside me on the first leg of the trip and comfortably sat by the window in my fully automated clam shell seat that transformed into a bed with a push of a button. My in-flight movie was Letters to Juliet a sappy spineless film which followed a well used Hollywood formula and concluded with a predictable ending. My bad. My inflight meal, however, was delicious! Foie gras and port wine jelly for hors d’Oeuvre and a fillet of beef steak with port wine sauce accompanied with ratatouille and fresh salad. With my meal, I had a selection of champagne, whites and reds to choose from. I went for the Louis Jardot Bourgogne Rouge Couvent des Jacobins 2008. For snacks, they served traditional Japanese osembe (rice crackers) and JAL’s original Sky Time Yuzu drink. “Airline food” have most certainly come a long way.
Arriving at NRT, I went straight for the internet cafe hoping to get information from Stanley. That was a negative. I spent the rest of my two-hour layover reading Douglas Coupland’s The Gum Thief in the airport lounge.
Arriving at ICN, disturbingly hot and humid at 29ºC, I was glad to see familiar faces. Stanley and his wife to be, Hyejung, escorted me out of the airport to the car waiting out front with her father at the wheel. We drove over to the Koryo hotel in Bucheon where I was reunited with my parents once again. Not a moment too soon, they’d asked me about my flight over which I gladly went into detail about until I was abruptly told to stop the moment I said the word champagne. It turned out that their economy flight on Air Canada served cup noodles for dinner and water for drinks. They had to ask for tea.
The wedding, which was on the fourth of September, was nice and simple. It was my first time seeing my brother in a tux. News of the wedding itself came by surprise. It was a western styled wedding with a Korean twist. It took place in Korea where Korean food was served and consumed by friends and family of the bride and groom who were mostly all Koreans. Though they didn’t speak much English, my new extended family were very nice and hospitable. Mom looked really good in her kimono.
The next day, we went to visit the Korean Folk Village. The weather turned on us while we were in the van and we’d witnessed our first tropical thunder shower with water droplets as big as marbles got us drenched from head to toe in a few seconds. It didn’t stop us from venturing outside, however. I was even bold enough to take my DSLR out, though in hindsight, I probably shouldn’t have.
It was mom’s birthday on the sixth and we helped her eat her cake at our hotel suite.
After seeing my folks off at the bus station for their journey back home, I checked out of my hotel and made my way to visit a friend of mine, his wife, and their nineteen-month old son on the other side of Seoul. They were kind enough to host me for the next three nights while I explored Seoul on my own.
An art district called Heyri located about ninety minutes north-west of Seoul caught my interest while I was looking at places to visit. It turned out to be a wonderful place with art studios, galleries, cafes and residences all housed in very unique pre-fab structures. It was architecturally amusing and I’d spent about five hours there just walking in and out of structures and discovering new things. This whole area was a quiet place, not frequented by a lot of people. It’s nothing to complain about, as I came here to get away from the tourists, but is gave it a slightly eerie feeling. I walked through many galleries there, fully lit and air conditioned with music playing, but there was no one in sight. It was a delight.
That evening, I met up with Jiyun, another friend of mine I hadn’t seen since leaving Beijing. We got together for dinner at Hongik University and briefed each other on our lives. She’s as beautiful, cheerful, and fun as I remember her to be and her laughs and smiles are so affectionate, it’s genuine. What great friends I have!
The next day, I ventured back into the city and explored the Deoksugung Palace and the Gyeoghuigung Palace. It was a place steeped in history and the architecture was very similar to that of ancient China’s Forbidden City with structural columns and beams in crimson red and rooflines ornately decorated with splashes of yellow, green, blue and orange and motifs of clouds and floral patterns. While strolling the grounds of ancient Korea, a view of new world Seoul came emerged from behind. The building beside the glass tower was under construction and had a blue G20 Seoul Summit banner covering the entire façade. The juxtaposition of Seoul’s glass towers from the pottery roof shingles of the palace was poetic.
At the Seoul Museum of Art, an exhibit titled Media City Seoul 2010 was on display. What caught my eye was that this exhibit was supported in part by the British Columbia Arts Council. Entrance was free and I was even given a device that gave audio tours. I was instantly captivated by artist Sara Morris’ Beijing; a video montage of the sights and sounds of Beijing. I sat there on the floor for well over an hour waiting for the end of the video which I never got to. There was another video installation by Rainer Ganahl titled I Hate Karl Marx, of a German woman yelling and ranting at a statue of Karl Marx in a park... in fluent mandarin. The video and still images from this video can be found on the artist’s website here: www.ganahl.info/Ihatekarlmarx.html
Visiting Seoul was a nice experience, even when I was caught in a torrential downpour twice. I can now add another country to the list of countries I’ve travelled.
Things that I noticed in Korea:
- Little rectangular block of foam padding on car doors. Almost every vehicle had them! Is this to avoid door dings and dents?
- Barcode labels on car windows. Is this a remnant of new vehicle identification as seen on dealers lots? Koreans seem to like to keep it on regardless of how old the vehicle is.
- Old vehicles in Seoul are few. Most on the roads were produced within the last five years, dominated by Kia and Hyundai badges.
- A section of highway along the Han River were scored so that the tune Marry Had A Little Lamb could be heard while the tyres drove over them. How novel!
- SPAM is considered as gourmet food. Of course it is; it’s IMPORTED! They come in fancy packaging, typically as a box set of eight cans, and is traditionally given as a gift. The power of marketing.
- The kimchi fridge. A top loading fridge (like a deep freezer) specifically for storing kimchi. Only in Korea.
- Fashionable young Koreans. Between China, Korea, and Japan, Koreans display a good sense of style. Good looks to boot.
- When approaching an interchange station on Seoul’s metropolitan subway, a 10-second clip of Vivaldi’s Violin Concerto in A Minor is played before announcing the name of the next station. With 13 lines criss-crossing each other, this tune quickly became an ear-worm tune.
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